Neural stem/progenitor cell transplantation therapy for chronic spinal cord injury

Abstract

Spinal cord injury (SCI) is a severely disabling neurological condition that results in impaired mobility, sensory disruption, and autonomic dysfunction. Transplantation of neural stem/progenitor cells (NSPCs) is considered a promising candidate for promoting functional recovery, and most research has focused on the early stages of SCI. However, most SCI patients are in the chronic phase, and clinical trials for patients with chronic SCI will be able to detect additional potential treatment effects. Therefore, this review focuses on the study of advances in the transplantation of NSPCs obtained or derived from different sources for chronic SCI. We first summarize the progress in the use of rodent NSPC transplantation for chronic SCI. Rodent NSPCs can survive, differentiate, and support histological regeneration at the site of injury but only with cellular combination therapy can they induce functional motor recovery. Next, we review research advances in human NSPC transplantation alone or in combination therapies for chronic SCI, demonstrating a high potential therapeutic effect. Finally, we discuss clinical trials of human NSPC transplantation for chronic SCI, focusing on safety and feasibility as the main clinical outcome measures. The long-term follow-up data also show optimistic clinical therapeutic efficacy.